|
Non-readers often wonder what to give booklovers for gifts. The obvious answer is, of course, books. Sometimes, though, reading or book accessories can be fun—and welcome. And for booklovers who like to shop for themselves, these places will tempt you into wonderful indiscretions.
Audible.com
For those of us who enjoy audio books, this site is excellent. They carry more than 40,000 titles in all genres that you simply download. They have two plans, each one available on a monthly or annual basis. And if you want to, you can easily cancel.
AudioBooks.com
They offer both rentals and purchases of audio books in CD, cassette or MP3 formats, and their selection is quite large. Worthwhile for those who prefer to have their audio books already in a format that is ready to go.
Bas Bleu
This company always has a variety of intriguing reading accessories.
Better World Books
This is an online bookstore with a conscience as well as good deals for readers. Originally founded by three students in 2002 who sold textbooks online to earn money, it has since grown to become an extraordinary endeavor to promote literacy and education around the world. For consumers, they offer great discounted pricing on both new and used books as well as free shipping within the U.S.
Big Cozy Books
Giant upholstered furniture for kids who love to read. They focus on commercial and public places, but if your child’s room is big enough these pieces would be wonderful.
Bodleian Library Shop
The Bodleian Library offers a fantastic array of gifts for the book-minded including home accessories, stationery, bookplates, journals, jewelry and more.
Bookcases Galore
They carry—what else?—bookcases, and lots of them. You can search by type, height, width, features, finish, material, price range, or sale items, and find hundreds of them. A toll-free number and generous customer service are among its best services.
Book Jewelry
This web site offers beautiful ready-to-buy as well as customized bookmarks made of ribbon and beads. What is particularly nice is the wide selection since you are the one who customizes it with numerous charms geared to interests of all kinds and 30 ribbon colors. And the price is amazing. A lovely site, as well designed as its bookmarks.
Booklover's Gifts
This fascinating online store knows what readers and booklovers love. (Besides books, that is.) Here you'll find a wide array of gifts that support the reading habit: mugs, e-reader cases, book ends, games, chocolate, soaps, cards, gift sets, books, and more.
The Bookmark Shop
This UK shop offers unusual and unusually beautiful bookmarks at surprisingly reasonable prices. But they also carry other high-quality accessories for readers and writers including magnifiers, booklights, book holders, paperweights, address books, notebooks, bookends and pens.
BookMate Store
Book holders, book covers, book lights and book stands can be found here in multiple variations.
Books & Bookshelves
This is a bookstore with an expanded line that’s a little unusual but perfect: bookcases. It helps, of course, if you are in or near the San Francisco area. They specialize in small press books by local authors and publishers so even if you don’t live there but are visiting this store might be worth a trip. “We don’t try to stock all books,” they say, “and tend to avoid mainstream thrillers and anything on the best-seller lists.” So finding interesting books is likely. Their furniture line is not limited to bookshelves, but those are certainly are certainly interesting with a wide selection of styles and several colors. Who couldn’t use a new bookcase after a visit here?
Daniel Bexfield Antiques
Here’s where you can spend a lot of money if you want to collect some gorgeous antique silver ones. Pricey? Yes, but they often have ones not seen elsewhere.
Enchanted Bookery
“Personalized gift baskets of books” is a good description of this site where every basket contains multiple books, a customized bookmark and customized bookplate and related items. You can choose for babies/toddlers (even a new puppy), older children, teens, adults (themes include mystery lovers, golfers, friends, fun the in sun and more). They have a list of gift items and books so you can make it fit your recipient perfectly.
First Street
Though this site is not focused on reading (but on the aging boomer population in general), their two pages of bookish gadgets are excellent.
Gerd Renshof
He paints still lifes, that is paintings with books as the main subjects. The paintings are for sale in various formats including notecards, postcards, calendars, diaries, bookplates, and a book that showcases his paintings. While you are there, you may want to take time to enjoy the exhibitions.
Hookmarks
Metal bookmarks that hook over the spine of a book have been named hookmarks by this company who makes a wide range of wonderful designs. I am particularly fond of the open book one, but they also feature ones with holiday, wedding, animals, nature, hobbies, spiritual, coin and other themes. Cute!
In My Book
This site features fantastic combination card-bookmarks with wonderfully whimsical illustrations. Each saying starts with “In My Book . . .” and finishes up with a related thought such as “you’re a classic; you’re some dish; you’re a hero; you’re the happy ending; you’re the last word.” Any bookmark lover (or book lover) is sure to enjoy these!
Just Bookends
This incredible site is perfect—at least for those of you who have room on your bookshelves for bookends. I don’t, but I am thinking I will have to find room for at least one pair. More than 200 different sets are available, meaning whatever your interest you are likely to find something that fits your taste and your shelves perfectly.
Kimbooktu
This is THE site for booklovers if they are also book gadget lovers. Kim, who lives in the Netherlands, searches the web looking for all kinds of items that readers are going to love. As she says, “My passion for books also causes me to collect items that have to do with books and reading.” What she finds you'll see here. Warning: This site is addictive, fantastic and dangerous to your pocketbook.
Library of Congress Gift Shop
I adore museum and library gift shops when I am seeking high quality bookish gifts, and the Library of Congress is definitely worth checking out. My favorite section is “For Book Lovers” where you can find bookmarks, bookplates, bookends, clothing, wall art and more. But they also a lot of other items.
Literacy Site Shop
The Literacy Site (see its link under Book-Related Sites) also has a gift shop with a fascinating array of bookish gifts—jewelry, clothing, home and garden, world artisans and more. The money it receives from your shopping goes to help children who would not otherwise have them receive books.
Los Angeles Public Library Shop
Beautiful, unique, and fun gifts for readers, writers, children, Los Angeles lovers and more abound here.
Mirage Bookmarks
Along with being a great source of information and links for bookmark lovers, they offer a fabulous gift shop loaded with gorgeous paper and metal bookmarks; customized ones are a specialty.
Mitercraft
A family-owned shop, Mitercraft specializes in handmade wooden bookmarks and inlays. And they are gorgeous! In addition to sets (including a see-through one) created from nine types of hardwoods, they also offer engraved bookmarks and custom orders. Prices are extremely reasonable, and the work is splendid!
Morgan Library Gift Shop
J. Pierpont Morgan had the interest and the means to collect expensive books, and he did. The museum is astounding, well worth an afternoon if you visit New York. But if you can’t get there, this shop has lovely things.
Nakfactorium
This website is an “emporium of handcrafted art objects from the hand of Pasternak.” That’s Robert Pasternak, a Canadian artist whose work is wonderfully original. Among the crafts that booklovers will find of interest are a set of Chicklet-sized books, a miniature book the shape of a stick of chewing gum, and a bacon bookmark. This bookmark is the real thing—or at least as near as you want bacon to get to your books. It’s die-cut and looks so real you may be tempted to eat it. Don’t. It’s the perfect gift since it also opens up into a greeting card.
New Yorker Store
The best known literary magazine, the New Yorker offers a wide range of quality gifts in their online store. You can search their selection in several ways, one of which is by topic. And one of those topics is books. Prints, t-shirts, sweatshirts or note cards featuring your choice of nearly 700 different cartoons or covers are available for you or your favorite booklover.
New York Public Library Gift Shop
As befits its reputation as a Great Library, their shop carries wonderful gifts for any booklover. Visit if you can; shop if you can’t. They have a wide selection of items for any interest and any budget.
NovelKeys
Pewter key chains, wine stoppers, keepsake boxes and tea infusers that feature inspiration and funny quotes from authors and composers are the focus of this delightful online shop. Each quote is in the shape of a tiny books with meticulous engraving.
Paper Blanks
Journals, day planners, and address books are rarely this beautiful! Handstitching, Smythe-sown, old leather, brocaded, acid-free paper and much more emphasize the extraordinary quality of their products. These are really indescribable; they must be seen to be appreciated.
Papilionaceous
A wonderful company that specializes in gorgeous silk bookmarks! Located in England, they sell all over the world, and offer a selection of beautiful woven silk bookmarks including humor, commemorative, art, flowers, Art Deco, theatre, and various commemorative ones. These are truly special!
Reading Comfort
“Enhancing your reading pleasure” is the motto of this company, and they do it very well with book pillows, page weights, book covers and several types of lovely bookmarks.
Rebound Designs
Purses made out of actual books and pins with bits of naughty sayings from romance novels on them. Fun, quirky and delightful.
Serious Readers
This is a web site devoted to items for, well, serious readers. They carry reading lights, reading aids (including book holders, portable lights and magnifiers), and gifts for readers. Note that this is a British firm, and all prices are in pounds.
Wonderful Graffiti
Home art for the bookish is part of this unusual wall decoration store that “celebrates typography—the art of lettering—in unconventional ways.” I love the READ one.
|
